


Guide Me to Solid Ground

by boneswrites



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotionally Compromised Bones, Fluff, It gets pretty heated, Jim takes care of Leonard, M/M, Smut, Starfleet Academy, Who said we can't have it all, canonverse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-04
Updated: 2016-09-04
Packaged: 2018-08-13 01:55:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7957864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boneswrites/pseuds/boneswrites
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A time when Leonard McCoy almost loses himself to grief but Jim Kirk brings him back from the edge, grounding him through love and intimacy. After many years, it’s finally time for Jim to put Leonard back together. Jim even sings to Leonard, and Leonard loves it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This piece is for Grace, one of the biggest lights in my life. We've grown so close in such a small period of time and there aren't words to express how grateful I am to have them by my side. Sharing Star Trek, among many other things with them has proven to be one of my heart's biggest joys. I fell in love with Star Trek and characters even more because of them. You're so beautiful, Grace, and I will always remind you of it. This one's for you, space buddy, the McCoy to my Bones. I hope it shows how much you mean to me.

When Leonard woke up in the morning, he wasn’t expecting his day to turn out quite like this. It was a tough one ahead, and he knew that, but it never occurred to him he’d want to bash his head into the nearest wall just by lunchtime. He and Jim have been…on edge for a couple of weeks now. Just the stress of still working for Starfleet they reckon.

After their five-year mission had come to an end, Jim and Leonard decided to pursue a stable life on safe ground, with no deadly alien diseases or drifting into nebulas or having the chance of eminent explosion to worry about. All was good, expect for the tiny fact their life wasn’t stable. Well, not in the way they thought it would be.

Jim had begun teaching Hand-to-Hand Combat and Advanced Tactics at the Academy while Leonard was primarily working at Starfleet Medical, but would give a lecture here and there whenever he felt like it. Lately, however, their lives haven’t been following a specific routine as they did when they settled down. Jim would be held back, Leonard would be calling in at all hours of the day and they were both exhausted beyond belief. Not to help matters, High Command have been bugging and nagging at Jim to step up his rank and accept the long offered Admiral position but he keeps refusing. And they don’t like being said no to. At least with his Captain rank, Jim could still manage to take out any ship whenever he wanted. Not that he was thinking about it much, but he likes to keep his options open. Accepting the Admiral position would permanently chain him to a desk and well, do they even know Jim Kirk?

Jim would unintentionally take out his frustration and rant at Leonard, who is facing his very open pile of unshovable problems himself. The atmosphere is tense, especially when Leonard walks around their apartment, cursing and huffing at medical textbooks and procedure outlines. One of his patients has contracted a fatal virus that manifests in the liver and virtually poisons the entire body. Leonard’s job: remove the liver and all other affected organs. Except it isn’t as easy as it sounds. And the list of organs that had fallen into the unforgiving trap of the virus makes his hand tremble. And Leonard has the steadiest hands in the ‘Fleet.

Solution? Well, that’s what Leonard is trying to figure out. And above all that, he misses Joanna.

He’s sitting in the living room when he hears the door swishing open and the familiar footsteps of Jim approaching. He doesn’t move from the couch, given that piles of PADDs and medical journals surround Leonard and he literally just sat down five minutes ago after refilling his coffee mug for the sixth time. Moving would be a crucial mistake. Jim will come to him anyway.

After hanging his jacket on the coatrack by the door and tipping off his shoes along the way, a content sigh leaves Jim’s lips when his eyes land on Leonard in his natural habitat. Or what has become his natural habitat.

“Hey babe,” Jim breathes, walking towards the couch.

“Welcome home, darlin’,” Leonard replies but doesn’t look up. He feels Jim coming to a stop behind him and peering over his shoulder, knowing he absolutely has no idea what on earth anything he’s reading means. Leonard isn’t even sure he himself understands it anymore either. His brain is running at twenty miles an hour.

“How’s it going?”

“Slow,” Leonard sighs heavily, finally lifting his head and groans when a low crack is heard.

Jim’s strong hands are suddenly on Leonard’s neck muscles, and they’re hard and tense under his touch. “Jesus Bones,” he says with exasperation. “Your muscles have been turned into rocks.”

“It don’t feel much better either,” Leonard admits, letting his head fall backwards to lean on Jim’s stomach. He hisses when Jim’s thumbs begin to dig into his neck in an attempt to relieve some of the pent-up tension and stiffness.

“How long have you been hunched over? And getting up to get coffee doesn’t count,” Jim asks, working his fingers and trying to be as gentle as he could. The aroma of the coffee has settled in the apartment and Jim knows Leonard all too well. Whoever said Leonard McCoy is the only one who has legendary fingers has clearly never gotten a massage from Jim Kirk.

Leonard mumbles an answer to Jim’s question, one the younger man doesn’t quite catch but doesn’t ask for clarification. When he looks around, the answer stares at him right in the face. His own used coffee mug from this morning is still sitting on the table in front of them.

Jim makes up his mind. “Okay, that’s it, time to go to bed, Bones. You’ve done enough today.”

“Jim—”

Jim releases Leonard’s neck and hears a small displeased sound from the doctor. He walks around the couch and picks up the PADDs, carefully stacking them up properly and putting them down on the floor.

“I know you’ve been sitting here since I left this morning.”

With much effort, Leonard pushes his head upwards, not quite in as much pain but still strained and turns to face Jim, opening his eyes to meet Jim’s wide ones.

Jim swallows when their eyes meet, black bags hang heavily under Leonard’s eyes, his face paler than usual and the frown deeper than Jim has ever seen. In short, Leonard looks like shit.

Jim takes in the sight of the older man. “You’re exhausted, Bones.”

Leonard shrugs.

“No, don’t shrug. You’re running on empty here, and as stubborn as you are, you must know that isn’t healthy.”

 _Huh_ , Leonard thinks, _since when did Jim become the voice of reason?_

“This is important, Jim,” Leonard says dryly.

“Oh I know, believe me I know. I have been around this entire time you’ve been trying to figure this out,” Jim reminds him. “But you’re important, too.”

“I can’t abandon this,” Leonard insists.

“I’m not asking you to, all I’m saying is that you should take a break, you deserve a break. You need your strength and you need to take care of yourself. You’re no good if you land yourself in the hospital.”

Leonard closes his eyes, squeezing the bridge of his nose with a shaky hand.

Noticing the tremor, Jim extends his arm and takes Leonard’s hand into his own, holding it firmly and giving it a determined squeeze.

“It’s shaking, it never shakes…”

“It’s okay, Bones, it’s okay. You’re just tired, you need to rest. It’s going to be okay. I’ve seen this stuff before, haven’t I?” Jim asks, regarding what he read over Leonard’s shoulder.

Leonard nods.

“You already know how you’re going to do it, Bones. You figured it out. You did everything you could.”

“What…what if something goes wrong? What if I can’t do it? What if the replicated organs don’t work or if the body rejects them? She’s so weak, Jim, I don’t know what her body can handle. And here I am going to be put her under so much stress and trauma and…”

“Bones, hey, hey, slow down, breathe,” Jim soothes. “Don’t work yourself up, okay? You’re a great doctor, and whatever happens you will figure it out.”

“Am I? Am I really?” Leonard’s voice breaks.

Leonard’s question paralyzes Jim. Never in the many many years he had known him has Jim ever heard Leonard doubt himself or his abilities as a doctor. Jim draws in a sharp gush of air.

“Of course you are, Bones.” Jim removes his hands only to have them latch onto each side of Leonard’s face, his thumbs settling on his cheekbones. The doctor’s scruffy facial hair tickles the inside of Jim’s palm. “Look at me, look at me, Bones.”

Hesitantly, Leonard’s teary eyes meets Jim’s blazing gaze.

“You’re doing absolutely everything you can for her, you’re giving her a chance. No matter how small that chance is, it is still there. And it means something. It means that there’s still hope, there’s still light. You taught me that, you proved to me that nothing is hopeless. You don’t get to crumble now, Bones. I believe in you.”

“I…” Leonard staggers, a tear falling from his eye and trailing down his cheek.

Jim wipes it away and leans in to press a soft kiss to Leonard’s lips and then brushes another kiss to his forehead.

He feels Leonard’s forehead easing as the doctor falls forward slightly, his weight becoming too heavy to carry.

“Let’s get you to bed.” Before they move, Leonard’s stomach grumbles in protestation. “You haven’t eaten anything,” Jim comments rather than asks.

Leonard sighs.

“Okay, let’s get you up and in bed and I’ll throw a quick something until the morning when you get my famous breakfast roast that you deserve,” Jim promises.

Leonard chuckles weakly and finally allows Jim to remove him from the cave of PADDs and journals and help him into their room.

Wiggling out of his uniform and making sure Leonard is comfortable under the covers, Jim retreats to the kitchen and scans the fridge for meal ideas. He finds a box of leftover red sauce Leonard made and decides to quickly cook some pasta for it. Once it’s done, he fills up two bowls and grabs two apples and goes back to find Leonard stretched on the bed with his eyes closed but not quite asleep yet.

“Hey,” Jim says quietly, not wanting to startle him.

“Smells good.”

“You’d know, it’s your sauce,” Jim chuckles, carefully getting into bed and handing Leonard his bowl.

They eat in comfortable silence.

“How was your day? Slightly better than mine I hope,” Leonard asks, taking Jim’s empty bowl and putting both of them on the floor next to the bed.

“Nah, not really,” Jim sighs, plopping on his pillow. “Archer is still up my ass about the Admiralty.”

“I am offended by your choice of words, James.”

Jim chuckles, shaking his head and playfully punching Leonard’s arm. “Shut up, you know what I mean.”

“Will they ever let it go?”

“Probably not. But whatever, I’ll just keep saying no.”

“Yeah, until they literally cuff you to the desk,” Leonard rolls his head.

“Oh, who’s using suggestive words now?” Jim teases.

“You’re such an infant,” Leonard huffs.

Jim doesn’t deny it. “Maybe that’s why they’re so keen on making me Admiral. So they could keep an eye on me. Can’t do crazy shit if you’re tied down. But little do they know.”

“If they think making you Admiral will do anything in decreasing your Jim Kirk-ness, then they’ve got a whole other thing coming.”

“You said it, Bones.” A moment passes. “We should get some sleep.”

Leonard turns on his side, throwing an arm around Jim’s middle and brings him closer into his chest. Jim intertwines his fingers with Leonard’s and relaxes into him, feeling Leonard’s soft lips land on the nape of his neck.

“It’s going to be all right, Bones.”

Leonard hums in response and it out like a light before Jim can respond.

*****

Three days later, Leonard comes home with a bruised hand and bloodied knuckles, his face blank of expression and muscles heavy with guilt and defeat.

“Bones, that you?” Jim calls out when he hears the shuffling, taking off his reading glasses and discarding them to the side. He gets to his feet and watches Leonard stride into the living room towards him, like a bull running towards the red flag.

Leonard barely recognizes the pile of papers behind Jim and before the younger man can get a single word out, Leonard is grabbing him by his shirt, two firsts curled into the cotton and slams him against the nearest wall, his mouth landing messily on Jim’s.

The force of the blow knocks the air out of Jim’s lungs and he finds it hard to breathe, his hands find Leonard’s shoulders and squeeze hard. That gesture doesn’t achieve what Jim wanted to convey because Leonard’s lips become fiercer in their assault. It seems like forever until Leonard barely draws back, just enough to latch his mouth onto Jim’s neck instead, sucking and nibbling at the sensitive skin, knowing exactly how to drive Jim a little mad.

An involuntary moan escapes Jim’s parted lips, which seems to encourage Leonard as he pushes his body further into Jim's and slowly begins to rub up against him, feeling his already half hard length in his pants. Out of habit, Jim’s fingers tangle in Leonard’s strong strands, eliciting a low growl from the bottom of the older man’s throat. Leonard quickly shoves his hands below Jim’s shirt and grabs onto his sides, the heated skin under his cold touch sends shivers through Jim’s body. A hand travels up his chest, flicking a thumb over a dense nipple and the other hand finds its way downwards, teasing the edge of Jim’s boxer briefs. Leonard then redirects his mouth once again to Jim’s, his slick tongue easily sliding in with familiarity and confidence.

With the three remaining brain cells he has working, Jim successfully pulls back, despite the restricting wall behind him and swallows deeply, his lips red and swollen. Leonard doesn’t seem to mind, turning his attention back to Jim’s neck and begins attempting to rid him of the shirt.

“Whoa, whoa, Bones, _Bones_ , slow down for a sec,” Jim calls out, his voice hoarse and low. He tries pushing against Leonard’s shoulders but the man has weight on him.

Leonard grumbles a response but doesn’t obey.

“ _Bones_ ,” Jim repeats, his voice demanding and stable. He feels the lips leave his skin and he’s suddenly cold. But calling a stop was the right move.

“What?” Leonard asks, annoyed and irritated.

“What’s going on?”

“What’s go—?” Leonard stops, his eyes wide with disbelief. “You seriously stopped me to ask this? Jesus, Jim! You know what? Forget it. Nothing is _going on_ ,” he makes a move to step back but Jim quickly holds onto his shoulders, keeping him in place.

“Don’t walk away,” Jim warns. “And don’t lie to me. Something is going on. This isn’t like you, so talk to me.”

Leonard finally brings himself to look Jim in the eyes and he’s met with a powerful gaze of shimmering blue, wide with determination and concern. He sucks in a deep breath and lets it out slowly, biting down on his lower lip, strong enough to taste blood.

“It’s okay, Bones, whatever it is, we’ll figure it out,” Jim cups Leonard’s face in his hands.

“No, it’s not okay, Jim,” Leonard’s voice breaks.

“You’re kind of freaking me out right now,” Jim admits, exasperated.

Leonard looks at Jim for some beats without saying anything. And when he finally speaks, he can’t hold it in any longer. “She didn’t make it.”

Jim’s face drains of color and his heart drops into his knees. He tightens his hold on Leonard’s face and rests his forehead against Leonard’s, closing his eyes. “I’m so sorry, Bones.”

Leonard doesn’t respond, but the hiccupping sob echoing in Jim’s ear is enough. They don’t move, Jim leans against the wall and Leonard leans into him. He’s breathing against the crook of Jim’s neck after a while, barely registering the soft words Jim hums into his ear and the fingers massaging his scalp.

Leonard sniffs, moving his head to put his forehead on Jim’s shoulder. “She survived the surgery, and I thought it was the most miraculous thing. I sat with her in recovery, monitoring her every breath and she was okay for a couple of hours. And then she wasn’t. Her body…her body just gave out. It couldn’t handle it, I thought maybe it could, but…I failed her. I took an oath to save people and today I failed,” he explains in a low voice, almost as if he were speaking to himself. Jim suspects he was.

“No, Bones,” Jim interjects harshly. “You didn’t fail, you did everything you possibly could. You gave everything you have, that’s not failure. That’s being a damn good doctor. ‘You can’t save everyone,’ you told me that,” he reminds him.

Damn, Leonard hates it when Jim uses his own words against him.

He moves to say something but hisses when his still raw knuckles brush up against his leather jacket. Jim then takes notice of the state of Leonard’s hand and he isn’t happy about it.

“What…” Jim trails off, gently taking Leonard’s hand and moving it towards the light to inspect the injury. “Jesus Bones, there’s glass in there.”

“Didn’t see the window.”

“Hmm, sure you didn’t,” Jim rolls his eyes. “Come on, let’s get this cleaned up.”

From the years Leonard had to patch him up, Jim has pretty much gotten the whole procedure down. He ran over the steps silently in his mind:

  1. Remove the pieces of embedded glass.
  2. Clean the wound.
  3. Run the regenerator.
  4. Should be good as new.



Well, at least Leonard’s hand will be healed. His soul, however, is another story.

They reach the bathroom and Leonard sits on the edge of the closed toilet seat, his hand settling on his knee. Jim grabs the medkit and kneels in front of him, pulling out tweezers and gently pries the sharp pieces from Leonard’s skin.

Leonard’s breath hitches a few times but other than that is as quiet as Jim’s ever heard him, and it worries the younger man. After he dabs it with antiseptic, he reaches for the regenerator but Leonard’s hand stops him.

“No.”

“Bones—”

“Just wrap it up, don’t want the regen.”

Jim’s eyes soften.

“It’s not gonna scar, it’s gonna be fine,” Leonard insists.

Not wanting to argue, Jim complies, returning the regenerator and reaches for a piece of gauze. After making sure it’s secured comfortably around Leonard’s hand, he straights himself and extends his arm.

“Come on,” Jim prompts.

Leonard holds onto Jim’s hand and allows him to lead them into their bedroom.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for dropping by and feedback is always appreciated. :)

It takes Leonard by surprise when Jim sits him down on the edge of their bed and rids him of his shoes and socks. Leonard can’t break his eyes away as Jim takes off his own shirt, revealing the shiny skin underneath and the doctor finds his hand unconsciously roaming around the newly exposed areas, his fingers colliding with uneven skin, scars mapped out on Jim’s chest and abdomen, irregular pieces of him that contribute to his history and his person. That speaks of his selflessness and willpower. Leonard has them memorized by heart, the feel of them never fails to make him shiver.

“Jim?” Leonard questions when Jim proceeds to slowly take off Leonard’s clothes.

“Shhh Bones, it’s okay, I’ve got you,” Jim whispers.

Once they’re both down to just their boxer briefs, Jim is straddling Leonard and peaking soft feathery kisses to his lips and cheeks and neck. Leonard stays still, grounding himself in the feel of Jim moving against him, grasping onto Jim’s bare shoulders for strength. He knots his hand in the blond hair at the base of Jim’s head and leans backwards onto the mattress bringing Jim down on top of him.

Jim adjusts to their new position, aware of the tightening hand in his hair. Leonard is trying to urge him to go faster but Jim stands his ground, continuing his gentle touch and deliberately going nowhere near Leonard’s steadily growing cock.

“Slow, Bones,” Jim murmurs against Leonard’s skin, sending an electric bolt through his body. “We got all the time we need.”

“I’m gonna combust,” Leonard says, his voice strained.

“Not on my watch.”

Jim doesn’t give him much chance to reply when he closes his mouth around a nipple and wetly draws his warm tongue over it repeatedly, and uses a hand to stimulate the other.

A very low whimper echoes out of Leonard’s mouth and Jim can practically hear him muffling it and beginning to build a wall to hold in. He sucks once on the nubile of flesh and pops off, returning his attention to Leonard’s lips, capturing them in a hungry kiss that Leonard gladly reciprocates.

“Don’t,” Jim whispers against Leonard’s lips. “Don’t hold in, Bones, don’t cage it in. Let go, I’ve got you.”

“Jim,” Leonard pants.

“You’re okay, you’re going to feel much better when I’m done with you.”

“Stop talking and get on with it, damn it.”

Jim chuckles and begins kissing down Leonard’s broad chest, feeling the muscle twitch under the lean skin. He gets his lips to work a little harder, more prominent and assertive as he moves down Leonard’s body. He himself won’t last with this agonizingly slow pace.

Leonard arches himself, trying to get friction, the need to rub against something—preferably against Jim—almost blinding him, but before they touch through their the fabric, Jim lifts himself, out of Leonard’s reach.

Leonard growls. “You fucking tease.”

“You love it,” Jim throws back.

“I swear to God Jim—” Leonard is cut mid-sentence when Jim finally takes mercy on him and palms his aching length through his briefs. “ _Shit_.”

“I’m just starting with you,” Jim smirks, slipping his hand into Leonard’s boxers and wrapping his hand around him.

The feel of Jim’s slightly cold hand on his steamy cock pushes a moan out of Leonard and he squeezes his eyes shut, almost exploding right then and there.

“Won’t last, you asshole,” Leonard gulps heavily.

“We’ll see about that.” Jim then leans down to lick the trail of dripping precome off Leonard’s stomach.

That about does it for Leonard. “Off, Jim, get them off,” he orders.

Jim doesn’t need to be told twice, as soon as Leonard lifts his ass off the bed, Jim yanks his underwear down and tossing it to the floor.

He climbs up Leonard’s body and once again ambushes the swollen pink lips, his tongue darting and mingling with Leonard’s, and the doctor can taste himself on Jim and inflames him even more. The fire lit inside both of them glowing so bright, threatening to turn them both to ash.

Working his way back down, Jim licks from the bottom to the top of Leonard’s cock and then finally, _finally_ , takes him into his fervent mouth and senses him buckling below. He holds his hips down firmly, incase Leonard would involuntarily thrust.

“Oh _fuck_ ,” Leonard mutters, weaving his hand through Jim’s short hair and pulling slightly. He reaches towards the nightstand, opening the drawer and blindly fumbles for the small bottle. Closing his hand around it, he retreats and tosses it onto the bed next to Jim.

Jim hums at Leonard’s encouragement, sending a luscious sensation through his body, making him bite down on his lip and see stars twinkle beyond his closed eyelids.

“You still with me, old man?” Jim asks when he pulls off, replacing his mouth with his hand.

“Not for long,” Leonard slurs.

Feeling his own throbbing erection tight against his boxers, he goes back to eagerly sucking and gently scraping his teeth against Leonard’s shaft.

The tightness in his stomach is all the indication Leonard needs and he frantically tugs at Jim’s hair. “Jim—I can’t—I’m gonna—”

Jim’s off him before he can continue. He licks his lips, savoring the taste of Leonard on them. “Want you to come when I’m inside you,” he whispers into Leonard’s ear, his voice low and deep. “You want that?”

“Fuck yeah,” Leonard turns his head to slip his mouth against Jim’s, pouring everything he feels into him.

When the part for oxygen, Jim momentarily breaks away from Leonard’s body to get rid of his own boxers and hears the other man sigh when he pops open the bottle of lube. As Jim pours a substantial amount on his fingers, Leonard draws his knees near his chest and spreads his legs open.

Jim begins to massage the tight ring of muscle, hearing Leonard whining over his touch.

“Jim... _please_ ,” Leonard gasps.

Ever so slowly, Jim starts to push one finger into Leonard, the clenched walls around him creating delicious friction. “Easy, Bones, easy,” he says when Leonard attempts to push his legs further, trying to get Jim to speed up.

Jim starts working Leonard open, carefully adding another finger and then another, hitting that spot and sending Leonard up among the clouds.

“Damn it Jim, I need you now,” Leonard cries.

Jim slicks himself up and aligns his cock against Leonard’s entrance, steadily lunging inside, both hands gripping Leonard’s knees on either side of him. He holds his breath until his pelvis collides with Leonard’s ass. He shakily lets out the air he was holding in and doesn’t move, giving them both a moment to adjust because Jim is definitely much bigger than three fingers.

Leonard begins to squirm a little and Jim gently pulls out and then thrusts back in again, a little harder this time.

“Faster Jim, come on,” Leonard pleads.

Jim leans down, capturing his lips in a passionate kiss as he picks up the pace. They settle into their familiar rhythm, meeting each other halfway and melting together. The atmosphere high with euphoria as the forceful longing they both have for each other flows between them.

“You’re so beautiful Bones, so fucking perfect like this,” Jim ravishes, moving his hands to Leonard’s chest. “Mine, you’re mine, never forget that.”

“Never, darlin’, never,” Leonard opens his eyes to peer up at Jim, hazel eyes meets equally blown blue ones, dazed with bliss. They peer into each other’s souls.

“Jim,” Leonard blows out. “Fuck, fuck _fuckfuck_ …I can’t—” he heaves, pulsating feverishly in Jim’s grip.

“I got you, Bones,” Jim reassures, cradling one side of Leonard’s face, stroking him with his other hand and watches as the doctor’s orgasm rips through him, his face crumbling and the walls he tried to put up disappear. And it’s the most beautiful sight Jim has ever seen.

Leonard comes undone, Jim’s name on his lips and his vision whiting out. The hot spurts land on his stomach and Jim gives a couple of more powerful thrusts before freezing and burying his face in Leonard’s neck as he’s taken over the edge.

The first thing he senses when he comes to is Leonard’s hand running up and down his sweaty back, whispering soft words of encouragement and love. He doesn’t say anything, trying to catch his breath and inhales the scent that is all _Leonard_. He wouldn’t trade this for the world.

“Love you, Bones.”

“Love you too, darlin’.”

Getting uncomfortable in this position, Jim carefully slips out of Leonard, but the discomfort is quickly forgotten. Jim’s body is away from Leonard’s for a moment too long, making the doctor shiver and he quickly slides under the covers. Jim returns a few moments later, holding a cloth rinsed with warm water. He hands it over to Leonard to wipe his chest as he joins him under the covers.

Leonard wiggles until his face is pillowed on Jim’s chest with his arm across his middle, and Jim’s securely holding him in place with a stable hand on his shoulder.

“ _I’m say Georgia, Georgia…a song of you, comes as sweet and clear, as moonlight through the pines_ ,” Jim hums away.

“Hmm?” Leonard raises an eyebrow, tilting his head upwards to look at Jim.

“ _Other arms reach out to me, other eyes smile tenderly, still in peaceful dreams I see, the road leads back to you_ ,” Jim continues.

Leonard catches on. “Are you singing to me?” He can’t help the small smile spreading on his face.

Jim lingers his lips mere centimeters away from Leonard’s forehead and answers with another verse. “ _I said Georgia, oh Georgia…no peace I find, just an old sweet song, keeps Georgia on my mind_.” And then brushes his lips against Leonard’s forehead in a tender sweet kiss.

“Oh you sappy romantic,” Leonard teases. “ _Other arms reach out to me, other eyes smile tenderly, still in peaceful dreams I see, the road leads back to you_.”

“Oh, who’s sappy now?” Jim chuckles.

“Can’t let you steal the spotlight, now can I?” Leonard shrugs, planting a kiss to Jim’s neck.

They stay silent for a while, the only thing Leonard hears is the constant and steady beat of Jim’s heart under his ear. And he’s never been more grateful for it.

“I miss Georgia,” Leonard admits, breaking the silence.

“I know you do,” Jim weaves his hand through Leonard’s hair. He reaches behind him and grabs his PADD, turning it on and handing it to Leonard.

Confused, Leonard takes it and moves to sit up, Jim loosening his grip on his shoulder. Leonard’s eyes run over the page and his eyebrows move to meet his hairline. He turns to faces Jim. “What?”

Jim smiles and sits up next to Leonard. “I know how much you miss Jo and home, and I wanted to do this for you.”

“But how?”

“I managed to get you a few days off work and took some off myself, the rest was pretty easy.”

“Jim, I…” Leonard gazes into Jim’s eyes, and feels so much love and loyalty radiating from the blue irises. They’re soft and welcoming and it takes Leonard’s breath away. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Just say yes,” Jim smiles.

“Yes, of course, yes,” Leonard lunges forward, locking lips with Jim in a kiss that shows just how grateful and appreciative he is for the younger man’s existence. “My mom’s been bugging me cause she wants to see you, you know.”

“The family is getting together, Bones.”

“You think they’d agree if we asked them to move out here with us?” Leonard suggests.

“I don’t know, but we should definitely try,” Jim nods.

In that moment, everything Leonard ever needed was right within his reach. And he makes the world better and brighter.


End file.
